Economy

16 July 2024
Staff from housekeeping services provider Bears. While a severe labor shortage in Japan means many companies are keen to hire from overseas, comparatively low wages and the historically weak yen are blunting the country's appeal. (Photos by Yuji Murakami and Ryosuke Matsui)
Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli, chief of the Communist Party of Nepal, has the backing of the Nepali Congress -- the country's largest political party.
Politics

Nepal appoints veteran Communist politician as new prime minister

Oli becomes 14th prime minister since 2008, with majority support in Parliament

15 July 2024
People line up outside a government hospital for a PCR test in Kathmandu in 2020: The COVID-19 pandemic provided the first substantial stress test for Nepal's federal system.
Opinion

COVID proved Nepal's new federal system works

Despite PM's dithering, empowered local governments delivered effective help

21 February 2024
Durga Bahadur Subedi, Nepal's ambassador to Japan, speaks to Nikkei Asia in Tokyo on Dec. 20. (Photo by Shigeru Seno)
Economy

Nepal calls for more Japanese investment in tourism, health care

Ambassador underscores growing relationship between the two nations

21 December 2023
Global IME Bank is the largest bank in Nepal, while IFC is a multinational lender and member of the Word Bank Group. (NIKKEI montage/Source photo Getty. Logos from Global IME Bank and IFC websites)
DealStreetAsia

Nepal's Global IME Bank likely to get $56m from IFC

World Bank Group member proposes three-year U.S. dollar-denominated loan

6 October 2023
A view of Kathmandu covered in smog: Nepal needs to invest $15.25 billion, or the equivalent of nearly half its annual GDP, to attain U.N. Sustainable Development Goals.
Opinion

Aid programs for Nepal aren't working anymore

Donors should go back to effective approach of partnering with community groups

27 July 2023
Sushil Bhatta, chief executive officer of the state-run Investment Board Nepal, in Tokyo during a visit to promote investment from Japan to his country. (Photo by Hirofumi Miyoshi)
Economy

Nepal investment board chief confident of attracting overseas money

South Asian country focuses on clean energy and IT, looks to work with Japan

22 July 2023
Prime Ministers Narendra Modi, right, and Pushpa Kamal Dahal discuss wide-ranging issues during the Nepali leader's visit to India.
International relations

Indian and Nepali PMs discuss border dispute in New Delhi meeting

Modi says both sides seek closer ties as they sign deals on infrastructure

1 June 2023
Reserve Bank of India Gov. Shaktikanta Das speaks at an IMF event on Jan. 6, in this screenshot captured from the IMF's livestream.
Economy

RBI chief's South Asia prescriptions: productivity, energy security

At IMF event, Shaktikanta Das lists priorities for stable growth in troubled region

6 January 2023
Stream article image
Feeding Asia

Opinion: Reform the global food system to end famine

Three clear avenues for action that will limit the spread of the crisis

29 July 2022
Meihoku Training in Nepal provides language classes to workers headed to Japan.
Japan immigration

Nepal's 'kind, caring' millennials boost aging Japan's labor force

Country's migrants the only top foreign worker group to show increase

30 June 2022
From a Maldives bond payment to India's central bank meeting and Pakistan's upcoming budget, South Asia's economic strain is in focus.
Asia Insight

Beyond Sri Lanka, economic cyclone bears down on South Asia

From Pakistan to Maldives, forex and debt risks grow as inflationary headwinds build

7 June 2022
Nepal's finance minister Janardan Sharma, left, and foreign minister Naryan Khadka speak to Nikkei Asia in Kathmandu, Nepal. (Source photos by Moyuru Baba)
Interview

China-India rivalry is good for South Asia, Nepal ministers say

Himalayan nation facing stiff economic challenges amid Ukraine war and pandemic

27 April 2022
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, right, hosts Nepalese counterpart Sher Bahadur Deuba in New Delhi on April 2.
International relations

India offers carrots to 'pro-China' neighbors Sri Lanka, Nepal

Political instability in South Asia opens diplomatic doors for New Delhi

24 April 2022
Demonstrators hurl stones at riot police during a protest against the $500 million U.S infrastructure grant in Kathmandu on Feb. 20.
International relations

U.S. grant to Nepal swept up in superpower rivalry with China

Kathmandu in turmoil as Beijing turns 'coercion' accusation back on Washington

24 February 2022
India's monstrous second wave of COVID-19 caused most of its over 400,000 fatalities during the pandemic and derailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vaccine diplomacy.
Asia Insight

India's COVID second wave disrupts vaccine export plans

Asia faces shortage as world's biggest jab producer still battles outbreak at home

20 July 2021
India has allowed transit by rail of Bangladeshi fertilizer to Nepal as it mends relations with its Himalayan neighbor. (Source photo by Reuters)
Trade

India mends Nepal ties with transit of Bangladeshi fertilizer

New Delhi improves regional connectivity as it normalizes neighbor relations

19 February 2021
Prime Minister Narendra Modi attends the launch of the pan-India COVID-19 vaccination drive via video conference in New Delhi on Jan. 16. (Photo courtesy of Government of India)
Coronavirus

Vaccine diplomacy: Indian supplies reach Bangladesh and Nepal

New Delhi's aid shipments come amid China's own COVID outreach to the region

21 January 2021
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government have their hands full as the pandemic batters an already slumping economy. (Nikkei Montage/Source photo by Reuters) 
Coronavirus

Modi buried under avalanche of COVID-19 cases and 120m jobless

India struggles as slumping economy takes another hit from spreading pandemic

23 May 2020
Indians wait to board a repatriation flight from Kuwait International Airport in Kuwait City, on May 9: There are reports that more than 400,000 Indians worldwide are trying to return home. © AFP/Jiji
Coronavirus

Coronavirus wrecks South Asian migrant livelihoods in Middle East

Some 900,000 stranded workers to test health care systems and economies

20 May 2020
Firefighters spray disinfectant to prevent the spread of coronavirus disease in Jakarta.
4 April 2020
Boudhanath Stupa, a UNESCO World Heritage site seen here in this March 25 photo, is deserted following the lockdown in Kathmandu.
Coronavirus

Empty hotels in Sri Lanka and Nepal point to lengthy economic hit

Coronavirus threatens South Asia's vital tourism industry

3 April 2020
A Hindu holy man smokes marijuana at a temple during the Shivaratri festival in Kathmandu, Nepal.
Politics

Nepali lawmakers push marijuana legalization

Ruling Communist Party sees export opportunities in medical demand

24 March 2020
Pokhara Regional International Airport. (Courtesy of Kevin Qin)
Coronavirus

Nepal airport project faces delay due to coronavirus

Shortage of Chinese engineers threatens to hold up dams and other infrastructure

19 February 2020
Foreign students in Japan are allowed to work in unskilled-labor positions, such as convenience store work, for up to 28 hours per week. (Photo by Ken Kobayashi) 
Japan immigration

Japan intensifies crackdown on student visa overstayers

Number of countries subject to stricter checks to increase tenfold

11 February 2020